Ref: S2D37761
Investigate the structure and form of trees in their skeletal winter state. Using pencil and charcoal, you will produce drawings that develop your understanding of tree structures, enhance your accurate drawing skills and improve your ability to capture the movement and grace of these natural forms.
As well as experimenting with a range of drawing materials, you will learn how to explore compositional options and how to make compositional choices that will enhance your work.
This course comprises a series of tutored drawing workshops that can accommodate group and individual exercises at all levels of experience. There will be short group assessments at key stages throughout the course. You will be developing your ideas and making your drawings from the natural settings in and around West Dean College.
By the end of the course, you will have developed further your skills in observation, drawing and composition; increased confidence in expressing the movement of your subject; developed further your own ideas and individual practice. You will take home a series of studies in a range of drawing materials.
The college will provide some charcoal, some A2 cartridge paper and some A1 black paper.
Please bring the following and any other drawing materials you wish to use:
Available from shop: A range of art materials is available to buy from the shop.
Please wear appropriate warm clothing and footwear for working outside in winter.
Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio, this includes stout covered footwear (no sandals or open toes).
Arrival day
Residential students can arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 7.15pm for registration. Students arriving earlier are welcome to purchase dinner in the College Dining Room from 6pm.
Students meet their tutor in the Bar at 7.30pm prompt to go to studios.
First Teaching session: 7.30pm - 9pm (attendance is essential)
Daily timetable
Course teaching: 9.15am - 5pm
Morning session: 9.15am - 12.45pm including coffee/tea break
Lunch break: 12.45pm - 2pm*
Afternoon session: 2pm - 5pm including coffee/tea break
Teaching finishes: 5pm
Evening working: students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with permission from the tutor and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.
Departure day
Course teaching: 9.15am - 3pm
Teaching finishes: 3pm
Residential students will need to check out of rooms by 10am. Please note, the tutor may make slight variations to the daily timetable as required.
*Lunch can be purchased on campus, view options
Andrew Fitchett is a practicing painter working in oils and West Dean tutor since 2006. Since his career in Advertising where he ran creative courses Andrew paints and teaches from his studio in East Sussex. Andrew's work is in private collections across Europe.
Residential option available. Find out accommodation costs and how to book here.
Take the next step in your creative practice, with foundation level to Masters in Fine Art study.
Depending on your experience, start with an Online Foundation Certificate in Art and Design (one year, part-time), a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design made up of 10 short courses taken over two years (part-time) or advance your learning with our BA (Hons) Art and Contemporary Craft: Materials, Making, and Place (six years part-time). All will help you develop core skills, find direction in your practice and build an impressive portfolio in preparation for artist opportunities or higher-level study. See all degree and diploma courses.
